The Lost Girl

ens, and was able to catch sight of a portion of Ciccio, who was sitting on a box in the blue-brick yard of his house, bare-headed and in his shirt-sleeves, twitching away at the wai

glimpse of his head was enough to rouse in her that overwhelming fascination, which came and went in spells. His remoteness, his s

oor to her. She smiled at him in a quic

Ciccio playi

s head in the direction of the back door, with a deep, intimate

through?"

the look of the Alpine ox about him, slow, eternal, even a little mysterious. Alvina was startled by the deep, mysterious look in his dark-fringed ox-eyes. The odd arch of his eyebrows m

owledge. And yet she shrank from the long, inscrutable gaze of his black-set, tawny eyes. She resented him a little. And yet she went forward to him and stood so that her dress touched him. And still he gazed up

with me to Wood

he turned to him again.

he said, watchin

d, a little pa

red his tawny eyes with their black brows and lashes. His eyes watched her as a cat watches a bird, but without the white gleam

u?" she

their consent. He turned aside his face,

" he

hing to me,

to her, and shook

said, lookin

ress as the muted voix blanche came through his lips at her, amid the louder quavering of the mandoline. The sound penetrated her like a thread of fire, hurting, but delicious, the high thread of his voice. She could se

ervened to

ng stomachs, I say. Eggs and ham are more the q

sion went over Ciccio's face a

" said Alvina. "I've ha

't. And now you must eat the ham an

ad Gigi been there. His eyes said unspeakable things about Madame. Alvina flashed

pe of her neck, and pass in a soft touch right down her back. She started as if some unseen creature had strok

dame, "that today we a

ntral as far as the j

Knarborough, and we le

ere is not

oodhouse," said

the train, o

" said

so much

d his should

gone to her room, Geoffrey went out into

ke to go with thee to Woodhou

shook h

train with h

ened with his

e how it is, there,

r," sai

atched him

he said. "I would l

ed Ciccio. "Then

to leave me," mu

on his broad cheek, and sm

said, Go. But come. Go and ask her, and then come.

tap at her door, and Gigi's voi

ton, I carr

or in surprise. S

" she said, s

like a powerful ox, fu

had reas

he said, "tell

laughe

ome to W

he

le, to tea, eh? At your hou

a thick, doubtful,

said A

with his large,

said, holding o

hands with

she said. "I

thick mouth. And all the time he watch

ood chap, e

laughed

He made such solemn eyes, Alvina laughed. He laughe

he saw Ciccio in the st

holding out his hand

aid Gigi,

and there, behind her spotted veil, and standing with the ostensible self-possession of her profession. Max was circling round with large strides, round a big black box on which the red words Natcha-Kee-Tawara showed mystic, and round the small

okstall. Geoffrey was standing monumental bet

ll we expect y

in his broad, f

e rolled his eyes and proceeded

time when we get

her sagely,

ouis, who read them over Max's shoulder, Ciccio suddenly smacked Geoffrey on the thigh, and looked laughing into his face. So till they arrived at the junction. And then there was a kissing and a taking of farewells, as if the company were separating for ever. L

the fast train to Kna

them all,

oved them all. She put her hand to his. He gave her hand one sudden squeeze, of physical understanding, then left it as if nothing had happened. There

slip by, as they ran into Knarborough. They went ou

ravelling together like this?" s

looking int

nge?" he said, showi

you?" s

slight, la

I love you so much," she said,

table, he took her two knees between his knees, and pressed them with a slow, immensely powerful pressure. Helplessly she put her hand across the

iling, motioning to her p

ide him, was reminded of the woman with the negro husband, down in Lumley. She understood the woman's reserve. She herself felt, in the same way, something of an outcast, because of the man at her side. An outcast! And glad to be an outcast. She clung to Ciccio's dark, despis

ously from a distance, that they kept turning round to eye her and Ciccio. But they left her alone.

She knew them all. She knew Lizzie Bates's fox furs, and Fanny Clough's lilac costume, and Mrs. Smitham's winged hat. She knew them all. And almost inevitably the old Woodhouse feeling began to steal over her, she was glad they could not see her, she was a little ashamed of Ciccio. She wished, for the moment, Ciccio were not the

So she had to be knocked up, for she was lying down. She opened the door looking a little patched in her

re'd be two of you

na, kissing her. "Cicci

you do?" and she thrust out her

id Miss Pinnegar. "Yo

coming in at

ight-" sa

ir. Alvina told him to smoke. He kept silent and reserved. Miss Pinnegar, a poor, patch-cheeked, rat

Alvina upstai

Miss Pinnegar. "I don't know what you're think

" said Alvina.

ith Miss Frost's helpless, involuntary movement. "What

her is dead. And I'm su

w such thing

I mean

stood blank

him to stay the n

to Madame tomorrow. You know I'm p

u going to

n't k

on't know! Why, it's a

o out of

't know,"

to think sometimes there was something wrong with your mother. And that's what

well, don't you trouble to

will if

no one

was a

nother day in Woodhous

it for ever,"

nk so," said

to a chair, and burs

ather! Your

are all right. Why

girl!" cried

aughed Alvina. I

" sobbed Miss Pinnegar, o

ng lost," s

he looked huddled and forlorn. Alvina went

Perhaps in the end I shall marry him. But if I don't-" her hand suddenly gripped Miss Pinne

negar dwindle

r me, in Woodhouse,"

, kissing her. "Woodhouse

y home for f

. That's why I'm glad to l

, "about opening a little business in Ta

u'd be happy,

self together. She had e

nyhow," she said. "Woodhouse

id Alvina. "I think you'd

ably I sh

egar was grey-haired, she was

rs. Miss Pinnegar

see the house?" sai

His eyes looked quickly and curiously over ever

tting-room," she said. "She sat

said, looking in

her heart. This is an

t like

ing to a photograph of the han

She lived here till she died. I lo

also

ive yea

He laid his hand on the keys

," sh

shed her to play. She sat and played one of Ki

he said, lookin

he tone,"

it y

g is mine-in name at least. I don't

tle coloured portrait of a child with a fleece of brownish-gold hair and

" he

me?" she said. "

irs-first to the m

s room," she said

the window, then at her again. She flushed, and hurried to s

the size of the rooms, taking in the size and propo

house," he

"Father left all to me-and

h de

ere is property. I shall go and see the lawyer in the morning. Perha

ning round to him, who was on the steps above. He lo

if it is all g

eally, if I can

ding. Then he glanced up the stairs and along t

. Grand if it was

id rather pathetically,

ged his

id. "How no

miserable hole. I hate it. I've lived here all my

ith a curious, sa

he said, as they entered the living-room, wh

d Miss Pinn

se," sai

r on the plate. Then, rather tart, she added: "It is a bad job. And a good many things are a bad job, b

io, to whom this ad

ost-in the way it has, Miss Houghton wouldn't be playi

ps not," s

t the right thing for h

k not?" s

ss Pinnegar, turning point blan

y at Miss Pinnegar

aid. "How

ght it was obvious,

ated, not fully

ything but what they're used to," she said, rising and shaking th

laying a fire in the drawing-room. She came with a dus

iccio, rising. And he took

aid, as he lifted the burning coals

ried the shovel of flaming, smoking coals to the other room, and threw th

fire! You know what they say in my place: You can

as always hot in Na

all boy, that was in the mountains, an hour quick trai

England?"

down. You could hear them cryi

fying-!" s

u know, they hate dogs, wolves do." He made a queer noise,

if I was a w

yes gleamed on

carried away among the trees or the stones, h

d they must be

sticulations and ejaculations, whi

ke it, your vil

d on one side

er comes with me to Naples. Then I go with the little boats on the sea-fishing, carrying people-" He flourished his hand as if to make her understand all the thing

e you ve

gs-no shoes-bread, little f

anity's sake, he would have possessions. The countless generations of civilization behind him had left him an instinct of the world's meaninglessness. Only his little modern education made money and independence an idée fixe. Old instinct told him the world was nothing. But modern educ

you will go back to you

his head and shoulders,

ow, you see

the nam

said the word subd

again," s

ocala

epeat

how you spell

he rose and brought him an old sketch-book. He wrote, slowly,

your name

rancesco,"

ather and mother," she said.

see them,

he wrote, and under

t. And one after the other she read them out. He corrected

"That's it. Yo

o say Mrs. Rollings had seen another o

me here," said Ciccio, quickly taking h

his broad face h

u find it?"

t I couldn't find no

rench, and kept each other in countenance. Fortunately for them, Madame had seen to

in French to Geoffrey, "w

eyes round the room, and speaking with

was hers,

tea, Ciccio

t Geoffrey se

French to Ciccio. When they climbed the stairs, he fingered the big, smooth mahogany bannister-rail. In the bedroom h

oom-" said Ci

d Gigi. Ciccio also gla

id. "But an

u could marry this-

hers any more! Perhaps the d

that's a pity! La pauvre fille-pau

pity! What

but marriage does. Love is for all, even the grasshoppers. But marriage mean

iccio. "Et aussi pour

y, laying his arm on Ciccio's shoulder, and giv

ws!" sai

s, truly,

ey heard playing on the piano in the drawing-room

serait difficile de m'élever. J'aurais bien peur, moi.

our trois,"

rais, là haut.

nt laughing

his evening. She sat, rather hulked, reading a novel. Alvina flirted wi

ing out the cards tonight!" ex

ar, it can't poss

hat your father thought-and

it's only prejudi

" said Miss Pi

k, she rose and wen

remained from Endeavour harvests. At that moment there was a k

tened to pay my compliments. I didn't know you had company. How do y

rey. "You are goin

hat a revolution! Of course, I'm not

looked solem

a hand, Mr. Ma

those tempting piles of pennies and ha'pennies. Who i

turned her poor, bow

he's offended

w, I can't do with these provincial little creeds. Who deals? Do you, Miss Houghto

er men

nd bring something in. Yes? May I? That would be so

Ciccio, and G

bottles. Now how can I secrete them? You haven't a small travelling case, Miss Houghton? Then I shall look as if I'd just been takin

ced the trav

tifully. Now-" he fell into a whisper-"hadn't I better sneak out

oom. But unfortunately, when Mr. May returned, a corkscrew was in request. So Alvina stole to the kitchen. Miss Pinnegar sat dumped by the fire, with h

er. They shouted, positively shouted over their cards, they roared with excitement, expostulatio

ked, faded woman in a black serge dress stood li

ather say to this?

eir cards, and looked around. Miss Pinnegar

d Alvina. "Bu

iss Pinnegar, backing o

much that he knocke

she's cost me!" And he went off into a

his mouth, lau

home?" said Geoffrey, making large eyes and looki

off again in a

d, after such a sin. And in Manchester House, too-!" He went off into another silent, turkey-scarlet burst of mirth, wriggling in his chair and squealing faintly: "Oh, I love it, I love it! Yo

is handkerchief which had unfo

ffrey had won all the pennies, except t

agreeable game," said Mr. May.

r men smiled

u see-I comfort myself with the reflection 'Lucky in cards, unlucky in love.' I'm certainly hounded with misf

se," sai

r best to contribute to it. Isn't it so, gentlemen? Aren't we all ready to do our best to contribute to Miss Houghton's happiness in love? Well then, let us d

e eyes at her as h

t all right in love, I

Aren't you drink

at Alvina, made a little mouth at

"beer must confirm i

said Alvina. "We

to the kitchen, the men trailing after her. Mis

y upstairs on tip-toe, a comical, flush-faced, tubby little

aven't I always said she was a good soul? I shall drink her health. Miss Pinnegar-" and

ted himself at the head of the tabl

a-Kee-Tawaras this week?

ycling back to the cam

ong our cheerfu

help me with my bag

ed the Tawaras perm

ee! Permanently! Yes, I am surprised! Yes! As pianist? An

settled yet,

ttled yet. And you say it is a permanent

rmanent engageme

you give me! You wo

? What? N

"I shall sell out

you? Oh! This is news to me.

" said

r to the young men-"I see. Most decidedly, most one-sidedly, if I may use the

said

he Endeavour? and cons

p it going?-fo

ne my best. But I'm afraid,

" said Alvina.

sarcastically. "They say hope is sweet

dy gone quite yellow i

ed him with da

let this fatal decision t

I'm going to tell him to sell everything an

This house, and

Alvina. "E

ite dumb. "I feel as if the world h

d often come to an en

wice. But never quite on t

was a

ld Miss Pinnegar

e has decided to ope

here she ha

he indicated Ciccio and Gigi. "And at no salary!" His voice rose. "W

id Alvina. "Don't you

I don't know. I th

or all that," said Alvin

with strange rage. "Oh! I m

nk those things

ee, I'm afraid I do think them-" Alv

. "Go away! I won't

lmost bolting from his head. "No indeed! I wouldn't think of

a slow, repeated motion of

z!" h

y, like an enraged hen yellow at the gills. "Certainemen

id Ciccio,

g with its own rage. Ciccio stood with his hands on the

said G

miled sn

de lait," said Gig

air. Geoffrey poured out

is fist. "Allaye, my dear, your health! We are the Tawaras. We are Allaye! We are Pacohuila! W

One by one we put them out of the field, they are hors

was sitting sunk in thought and

hink about? You are th

ffr

at him, smilin

s Tawara?"

nds and swayed his head from side to side

Tell me! Ciccio is he-and I am he-and Max and Louis-"

of all four of you,"

la, then the lodge of Walgatchka the bear is open for you. Open, yes, wide open-" He spread his arms from his ample chest, at the end of the table. "Open, and when Allaye enters, it is the lodge of Allaye, Walgatc

and looked around.

fraid of a husban

got on to

put his finger on his small close teeth-"his hands are as soft as bees that stroke a flower-" here he spread his hands and went and suddenly flopped on his knees bes

y grinning, here rose to his feet and too

runk, my Gigi. Get up. How are you going

d also more. I love thee as a brother, my Ciccio, as thou knowest. But-" and

r bacco! She doesn't want a tame b

s feet and flung hi

s a brother. But let me be the tame bear of

ccio. "Thou art the

ined Ciccio t

k you! Salute me

frey immediately flopped on his knees again before Al

o is a wild bear for all except Allaye and his brother Pacohuila the Puma." Geoffrey g

above, watching. Then she lightly

go to bed

ed to his feet,

-no! Walgatchka must

the Camp of

Ciccio. "Tonight we stay here,

clasped Cicci

dies, one blood. One blood, in two bodies; one strea

heavy eyes on Ciccio. Alvina b

e room?" she said. "I will

good-night in a whisper, and went downstairs again. She cleared away the supper and carried away all glasses and bottles from the drawing-room

room she could hear the gentle, but profound vibrations of Geoffrey's snorin

y the smell of beer and smoke. She heard the men rumbling in the bath-room. And quickly she prepared breakfast and made a fire. Mrs. Rol

he men stay

lept in the end r

th her tea and her boiled egg into the li

ves as usual, but wearing a collar.

he said, and went

enly, and briefly answered his good-morning. Then she went

return and slowly mount the outer stair-ladder, which went up to the top floor. Two minutes afterwards they were startled by the irruption of the work-girls. As for the work-girls, they gave quite loud, startled squeals, suddenly seeing the two men

ey and Ciccio went in to break

all, eh?" said Cic

eakfast for years,

here, eh?" he said, s

not," sa

st like a husband-as

his morning. He ate his b

," he said, smiling s

accompanied him

d, Alvina was once

shall we go

train. I must see the

shall you

l him to sel

marry

d, and loo

t to marry, do

, I

u rather wai

?" he

here is a

steadily, and h

" he

an to t

better if the

es never smiled, except to Geoffrey, when a floo

ink I s

rue, isn't i

forks. They trembled slightly. Then he looked back at her eyes aga

laugh came

on her, and she winced. "But I marry you for love, you know. You know wha

rained

without marriage," sh

ght! Give me love,

ggled ag

now," s

his eyes fix determ

he said

looked down into hers,

e struggled.

ter way: yet with a c

at big room

w fixed into

really," she

tching his attention, desire filled his heart, warm and full, obliterating his anger in the combat. For a moment he softened. He saw her hardness becoming more asser

he said

otionless, she was taken to her room. And at the back of her mind all the time she wondered at his deliberate recklessness of her. Recklessly, he had his will of her-but delib

he lay with his arms over her, motionless. Noises went on, in the

rose and lo

ne thing, All

e approached, laid his hand

id, asserting

otionless. He threw bedclothes over her

ciously, for her skin had become chilled. She didn't care a bit, really, about her own downfall. She snuggled deliciou

d her hair, tied on her apron, and went downstairs once more. She could not find Ciccio: he had gone out. A stray cat darted from

ly, and stood in the

him, unexpec

ink of yourself

iful, in his silent passing out of her sight. She wiped her dishes happily. Why was she so absurdly happy, she asked herself? And why did she still fight so hard against the sense

s. Then she went upstairs, to do the bedrooms and pack h

nd so doing she wasted her time. It was already ten o'clock when she hur

aid. "I don't think I sha

hat and went

er I am engaged to you

l him what you like.

do, whatever we say. I shall say we think of getting married in

say all that?

me do something I don't want to do. You might come to the lawyer's wit

io shook

shan't go. He does

ant to. But I remembe

I remember Pe

lence, as they wal

of Woodhouse. People k

tively across to spe

ever stood aside a

iends, here and there, for a few weeks. No,

e said to her. "I think you're looki

Alvina brightly. And she was

ng into his eyes and nodding to him, as she left him at

ild: but rather as an official than an individual. She arrived all smiling in

ghton, and what

any, Mr. Beeby. I ca

d a pile of papers. "I'm afraid there is nothing very pleasant, u

a shrewd l

will p

t it will be through

all the c

hand on the pile of papers under the paper-weight, an

se?" sai

quietly. It s

" said

ir amount! Let me sh

s help, that the claims against her father's property exceeded

we seven hundred p

erty. It might, of course, realize much m

id Alvina, her

ink the realization of the property would amou

Alvina. "There is sure

saddled with her

so," said

what?" s

In fact, some of them will be less badly off than they feared. No, on that score we need not trouble further. Useless if we do, anyhow. But now, about yourself. Would yo

t?" said

ease of Miss Pinnegar's work-rooms. Perhaps even something m

not cut off every resource. In her own heart she had confidently expected a few hundred pounds: even a thousand or more. And that would make

a she looked

it would be quite

I didn't,

might have

nd again she looke

you think

only looked at h

would rather

"No. It's no use

th curious eyes, his hand

" he said, "to get

g go. I don't want to hang on. Don't bothe

d the lawyer, and he st

shan't s

ou have any definite id

as pianist, with a trave

red away vacantly out of the window. He took to the attentive s

ent, thank you

is the persons interested, and myself-would not like to think that you were driven out of Woodhouse-er-er-destitute. If-er-we could com

p blue eyes. Alvina looked

he said. "But don't bo

velling theat

es

ied his finger-

roughness of one nail-edge. "Well, in that case-In tha

ply. She nodded slowly,

st proceed with the valuation a

he said

r private personal property, and that of Miss Pinnegar, belongs to the c

" she

iss Pinnegar will put your possessions strictly apart-But I shall see Miss Pinnegar duri

sat tre

my things to

the claimants would no doubt wish you to regard as your own. For anything of g

want anything

l see. You will be

ina. "I'm goin

that also i

st go this

May I ask where your company is

sfie

particularly wished to see

don't want to come to Woodhouse unle

ainly!-most things!

ina signed some documents. At last she was free

, and I from you. I wish you a pleasant experience in you

said. And she hu

he had had a blow which knocked he

er graves: her mother's, Miss Frost's, her father's. Looking, she made out the white cross at Miss Frost's g

Woodhouse, almost as if the ground had risen from under her feet and hit her over the mouth. The fact that Manchester House and its very furniture was under seal to be sold on behal

ove her clanged eleven. She ought to take the twelve-forty train to Mansfield. Yet i

many years had she noticed a particular wild cherry-tree come into blossom, a particular bit of black-thorn scatter its whiteness in amon

xperience the full flavour of Woodhouse's calculated benevolence. She hardly knew which was worse: the cool look of insolent half-contempt, half-satisfaction with which Madame would receive the news of her financial downfall, or the officious patronage which she would meet from the Woodhouse magnates. She k

unds would have made all the difference. Useless to deny it. Even to Ciccio. Ciccio would have had a lifelong respect for her, if she had come with even so paltry

ad a few trinkets which might be sold. Nothing else.

left, she could never come back to Woodhouse again. If England had cliffs all round-why, when there was nowhere else to go and no ge

d some time to herself. She would send Ciccio on. Slowly she climbed the familiar hill-slowly-and rather bitterly. She felt her native place

end of the yard: eternally waiti

n a long ti

she a

o make haste to

ave to come on later. You can just e

iss Pinnegar had not

busily peel

to have a little cold meat," said Alvina. "Woul

s. Alvina opened them, and turned pale. It was thirty pounds,

t you'd like put on th' headstone fo

rig

er, and spread the cloth for Ciccio. When he was eating, Miss

she said. For there was Alvi

a later train,

h of

's goin

ent through to the scullery. When Alvina c

d to Ciccio. "I shall be at the hall by

ou come now?

not even the plate you're eating from. Everything is under seal to be sold to pay off what is owing. So I've got to get my own clothes an

and the furniture and everything got to be sold u

ld me," s

" said Miss Pinnegar, sink

things into my two trunks, and I shall just ask Mrs. Slaney

ar. "I can't believe it! And

l take an inventory of all the things, and we can li

n will t

now. A wee

ematograph to b

The piano-even mo

d Miss Pinnegar. "It's impossible. H

in. You'll give Madame my letter, won't you? I should hate you to miss the t

slowly, wipi

re at seven o'

eatre," sh

t more ado

llings

said Miss Pinneg

think," said

stick and rag! I never thought I should

Rollings. "But you're all right, yourself, Mi

y spend a pound a week, it costs fifty-two pounds a year. And for ten years, look at it, it's five hundred and twenty pounds. And you couldn't say less. And I haven't half that

to start a little bu

ll have to do. It's w

about you? W

ther about me

t to bother, and bother a great deal, if you're not going to find yourself in a positio

e day is the evil t

r a good many days

dd way of taking it. The three women sat down to an uncomforta

ver you do, and however you strive, in this life, you'r

"if it's only in the end. It doesn

" said Miss Pinnegar. "And if you work and str

a laconically, "so long as you'

r own problem seemed so much more menacing. "Answer or die," said the Sphinx of fate. Miss Pinnegar could answer her own fate according to its question. She could say "haberdashery shop," and her sphinx would recognize this answer as true to nature, and would be satisfied. But every individual

swer fate with whatever came into one's head. No good strivin

id Alvina. "Have we

in the bank. It's all shown in

't take it

y shows in

pondere

me in?" she asked. "I mean

you do," said

any way. They can say what they like.

nnegar, "it's not my

d Fullban

tell Atterwell what to put on fath

gs a letter,

the name and the date.

ton. Born 1

ut 'Also of,'" sa

four-five-six-. Six letters-thirty shil

," said Miss Pinnegar. "You

ge it," s